As of October 17th 2016 you can now go back to the future – and put your name down for a new DeLorean DMC-12. As the new Texas-based DeLorean company says, it’s time to “live the dream – again”.
OCT 20th 2016
Time to live your DeLorean dreams?
And if you are struggling to remember what that dream was, before it all went so terribly bad, then refresh your memory with this short promo video from back in the day…
A reborn DMC-12 has been in the offing for a while now thanks to a 2015 change in US law that allows for low-volume production without having to go through the same safety hoops as the big boys. It applies to low-volume cars that “resemble production vehicles manufactured at least 25 years ago” but which meet current environmental regs.
From this we can glean the new DMC-12 will be powered by a modern engine (farewell PRV V6!) but look the same as the original Giugiaro-designed wedge. Gullwing doors, brushed stainless steel body panels, stylised ‘80s details – who would have it any other way?
The new DMC company (http://www.newdelorean.com) said earlier this year it would build 300 new cars at around $100,000 each. This week it blogged: “Our planned production is approximately one car per month for the first 12 months of production, ramping up to one car per week by the end of the second year.”
Chassis development is said to be behind schedule owing to supplier bottlenecks, but prototypes should be on the road in November 2016. An engine deal still has to be confirmed – interesting to note that engine management development is being done with a UK firm.
“In light of everything we are still a few months away from setting a price for the car as we finalize the bill of materials and standard/optional feature list,” says the firm, adding it has had “overwhelming interest” from people interested in the car. Seriously interested people can now express that interest by signing up for one on the website.
More details are expected to be known in early November when the new low-volume rules are due in force in the US.
It is 35 years since the first US-bound DMC-12 rolled off the British government-funded assembly lines in Belfast, after having been re-engineered by Lotus. Around 9000 were built in the following two years before the venture collapsed in a heap, the car’s place in history assured by many things including a starring role in the 1985 Back to the Future film.
Only time will tell if the DeLorean will fly this time…

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